Volleyball: White, Nemeth Power Cajuns Past Arkansas State

Matt Sullivan, Asst Sports Information Director, November 3, 2013

Cajuns claim fifth win in last seven matches

LAFAYETTE – Tonice White and Kaylee Nemeth each pounded out a match-high 11 kills and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns volleyball recorded its best performance at the net in Sun Belt Conference play with a 25-21, 25-18, 25-18 win over Arkansas State on Sunday at Earl K. Long Gym.

Sara Mossakowski added 10 kills for Louisiana (17-10, 7-6 SBC), which claimed its fifth victory in the past seven matches after posting a .356 hitting percentage. Andrea Hole dished out 40 assists for the Ragin’ Cajuns while Caitlyn Auxilien had 11 digs with Taylor Meade and Lavinia Tataran adding 10 each.

White, one of four seniors on the team, continued her hot-hitting for the Ragin’ Cajuns after posting a .529 hitting percentage (11-2-17). Nemeth posted a .400 hitting percentage (11-3-20) for Louisiana while Chanelle Gardner finished at .357 (5-0-14) and Mossakowski .304 (10-3-23).

Nemeth began a 4-0 run for the Ragin’ Cajuns with a kill in the opening set that snapped a 9-9 tie. Hole added a kill for Louisiana before a hitting error by Arkansas State (11-18, 6-8 SBC) and a kill by White gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 13-9 advantage. After the Red Wolves closed to 14-12 on a block by Kendal Davis, Mossakowski responded with a pair of kills before the Ragin’ Cajuns eventually pulled away.

Louisiana opened the second set on a 7-3 run before ASU chipped away at the lead. An ace by Megan Baska and a kill by Kelly Reis closed the Red Wolves deficit to 8-7 before Gardner ended the threat with a kill and kept ASU from getting any closer. White, who had five kills in six attempts in the frame, closed out the set with a pair of kills sandwiched around a kill by Mossakowski.

Mossakowski recorded five kills and hit .444 in the final set as Louisiana hit a blistering .433 as a team. Mossakowski gave the Ragin’ Cajuns the lead for good, 10-9, with a kill before Hole responded with a kill as part of a 5-1 run.

Davis led the Red Wolves with eight kills with Kelsey Sullivan and Kelsey Reis adding seven each. Mallory Warrington led ASU with 29 assists while Baska posted a match-high 12 digs.

Louisiana will return to action on Wednesday when it visits ULM in a 6 p.m. contest at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.